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It\u2019s finally time for the third part of Christine Smith\u2019s Know the Novel linkup<\/a>. And yes! I do have a completed novel to report on!<\/p>\nAfter starting draft one on November 1, I typed THE END twenty-nine days later.<\/p>\n
The theme for Know the Novel: Part Three is Words Written, with ten final questions to bring you up to date on In Quest of a Nameless Sea.<\/em><\/p>\n I think it went well! I was delighted that I got the entire first draft written in November. I think the rush to get 30,000 words down in one month was a good motivation, and kept me from having time to get really stuck at any point. I had to keep going, whether I felt like a particular scene was coming well or not.<\/p>\n Broadly speaking, In Quest of a Nameless Sea<\/em> turned out more or less as I was expecting it to do. The traitorous fellow-explorer ended up being more of a villain, and impacting the climax of the plot more, than I was picturing, but I\u2019m happy with how that replaced a few elements from my original outline, gave some more drama, and also I think some more continuity to the end of the adventure.<\/p>\n Hmm. That\u2019s a harder question. I think I maybe enjoyed most the scenes that came together vividly after being only rough sketches in my outlines. Because the outlines weren\u2019t incredibly detailed, I knew the general direction of the plot, but had a lot of details to settle as I went along. And the places where those came together really well were fun to write!<\/p>\n Navigating the balance between an outwardly-focused adventure plot and my own personal preference for a plot that takes place entirely inside the characters\u2019 heads. External conflict is not my thing, so it took an ongoing effort to keep writing danger\/adrenaline scenes. Weirdly enough, they feel like an awful lot of effort for the return, even though I know they\u2019re necessary for this particular genre.<\/p>\n I think I\u2019ve mentioned my square brackets before. When I\u2019m writing (especially with a hard deadline on my word count) I put all the details I don\u2019t have time to research in brackets.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example from In Quest of a Nameless Sea:<\/em><\/p>\n Philip looked down at the rushing, beckoning river beneath him. He looked at the dense, rich woods, wrapping like a benediction across the land. He looked back at the [material] canoe\u2014tiny, as a toy, on the riverbank below. He saw [Name], [doing common task].<\/p>\n So all those square brackets\u2014side character names, cultural details, map work, and fact checking\u2014need to be filled in before the story will \u201cread\u201d like a normal book.<\/p>\n Philip is definitely still the character I relate to the most, but Ottaniack surprised and delighted me with his backstory. Refrains from giving more details due to spoilers.<\/span><\/p>\n Least favorite character is decidedly Master Humphrey. He turned out more of a traitor than I expected, as well as grumpier than I expected. (Although some of his grunts and grumbles were kind of fun to write.)<\/p>\n Sir Trinian disappointed me a little by playing less of a role\/connecting with the other characters less than I thought he would. We\u2019ll see what happens as I edit, though!<\/p>\n As mentioned above, research for the square bracket passages is the next step. I never know whether to call that process draft two, or just the second half of draft one.<\/p>\n Either way, it\u2019s going to be the next step.<\/p>\n And while my sister complains that I always come down to lunch with glassy eyes and my head in the clouds, researching to resolve the square bracket issues is something I actually really enjoy doing!<\/p>\n Ooohh! Well, if the sky is the limit, then my biggest dream for this series would be to have it become a staple history-course-add-on for homeschoolers studying American history. The kind of series where everyone has heard of it, and looks it up as a matter of course when they\u2019re doing their school planning.<\/p>\n That feels like a presumptuously big dream. But you did ask!<\/p>\n Okay, this is a somewhat long one, but I didn\u2019t want to cut it off before it was finished. It picks up just a little after the snippet I shared last month. (And yes, you\u2019ll spot another square bracket in there, too!)<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s here! Everything\u2019s here!\u201d Philip cried, as he rummaged through the contents of the bag. Each item was just as he had packed it, that very morning, when they broke camp. Had he expected that they would not be? Ottaniack\u2019s caution was making him nervous.<\/em><\/p>\n Master Humphrey gave a half-grumbling grunt of relief. Sir Trinian\u2019s congratulating smile beamed across at Philip.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe must press on,\u201d was all Ottaniack said. Once more Philip gave him a puzzled look. And then, all at once, a question sprang into his mind.<\/em><\/p>\n Why hadn\u2019t Ottaniack seen that instrument case, on the way down?<\/em><\/p>\n Sir Trinian, and Master Humphrey, and Philip himself had all been too intent on the ground, where they thought the precious tools had been dropped. They were not woodsmen. Even Master Humphrey, for all he had lived and worked in Virginia for a decade or more, had only made the occasional expedition away from the nucleus of the infant colony at Jamestown. But Ottaniack ought to have known better\u2014oughtn\u2019t he? Would have know better, if his attention had been even mostly on the trail, instead of fixed in the depths of the forest?<\/em><\/p>\n They had reached the top of the rapids by now. Master Humphrey was lowering the canoe into the water.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cStay,\u201d said Ottaniack. \u201cWe cannot embark.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t?\u201d Master Humphrey straightened with raised eyebrows.<\/em><\/p>\n Ottaniack\u2019s eyes turned back from the depths of the forest, and scanned the curve of the river briefly. Then he raised his eyes to the sun, a crease forming in his forehead.<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cThis place,\u201d he said briefly, \u201cis not in your picture.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cIn our picture?\u201d repeated Sir Trinian.<\/em><\/p>\n Master Humphrey frowned, clearly mystified, but Ottaniack\u2019s meaning flashed over Philip with a sudden jolt.<\/em><\/p>\n They were, by this time, at least [number] miles up river. They were, or at least, they believed they were, still on the Potawomeck. But they had come to a place that was not on the map.<\/em><\/p>\n (End of Snippet)<\/em><\/p>\n I discovered that I really do not like leaving my characters hanging!<\/p>\n You\u2019re supposed to be kind of sad, when the adventure comes to an end. But I found myself breathing a sigh of relief that these crazy characters were finally back to safety again.<\/p>\n I think that\u2019s more of a personal writing-style thing, rather than a life lesson, but it was definitely something I noticed, finishing this story.<\/p>\n Can you believe this is actually the last post of the series! Well, not really the last post. Lord willing, you will certainly be hearing more about In Quest of a Nameless Sea<\/em> in the future.<\/p>\n Thanks for joining me on the journey for the first draft!<\/p>\n If you missed the earlier posts, you can check them out below. And as always, I\u2019d love to hear your questions and comments.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to hop over to Christine\u2019s linkup, to get to Know the Novel from tons of other authors as well!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n You might also enjoy:<\/p>\n Ever wished you could take a peek behind the scenes at the process of planning and drafting a novel? Christine Smith\u2019s Know the Novel linkup Part One offers the chance to do just that!<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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And Now You Know the Novel!<\/strong><\/h5>\n
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